Starting Over

Chapter 1

Samuel knew his niece only had a few friends at college and made sure everything was taken care of there, having already gotten Amanda's stuff with help from the Dorm student helper or whatever the person's title was to keep others away as he almost broke down when he arrived in her room. He managed to get out with her stuff with the mental note that he would never go back for any reason as even though he knew she loved this place, he wasn't one to make himself crazy with sadness yet he had one thing he had to do.

Both his older brother and niece had both become very close with the people in their cul de sac that they had moved in only maybe a year ago and he knew they hadn't been told yet as it had only been two days. He really needed to make funeral plans but he couldn't do it without telling those his brother went on about, how great they were and how Samuel should come to meet them and Samuel absolutely did want to yet he never did. Samuel wasn't a too busy person, not even having his own place yet after his trailer burned down two months ago, but he didn't want to intrude on Tristan's life with his problems as Tristan would make him stay with him once he came. Tristan always cared for him, being the older brother, but he couldn't guilt his brother like that and yet he wished he had as something would have changed that would have made his brother alive today.

Samuel had already messaged one of the men that Tristan trusted, that man being Joseph Christiansen, and before he could say anything other than he was coming down, with news to tell everyone, he was invited to a barbecue that would be going on around the time he would get there only to have Joseph message he had to get his kids before logging off. Samuel couldn't get a hold of anyone else so he just kept driving and now he was standing at the front door of the house with the very apparent party in the backyard with the inability to knock on the door. He couldn't even lift his hand, knowing that he would be the one telling his older brothers and niece's closest friends that they were gone.

He was about to turn, to leave and not come back only for the door to open and a dark clothed  woman that he recognized as Mary, Joseph's wife, from his brother's pictures. She took one look at him and smirked, his knees already shaky only to know he should say something or anything.

"H-h-hello there... I'm--"

"I know who you are and you know I'm Mary from Tristan's messages I suppose. I heard you have such wonderful news for us..." She seemed to be a bit irritated at the last part despite her smile and before he could say anything he was grabbed by his wrist and pulled inside. "Joseph saw your car and got everyone ready even though we all know the news."

Samuel felt numb at that point. One, from the fact they knew and two, that he was now in the backyard in front of a microphone with 7 very hot guys and their kids. He couldn't speak for a moment, unsure by how to start this, only to realize that either they knew and were smiling happily because they were crazy or they didn't know. If they didn't, then what news did they think he had?

"Which house are you moving into?!" This girl was younger than Amanda and was quickly shushed by the man he remembered being Mat Sella, a coffee shop owner and musician. There was a lot of talk now and he saw some trying to shush others to let him speak while others were speculating on whether he was moving to the house down the block from the cul de sac or into Tristan's place. The noise just seemed to get louder, his eyes probably showing his fear yet they weren't looking at him at all and he just wanted to have them stop.

"Quiet! I'm not moving here!"